Life Beyond the Classroom

Life Beyond the Classroom By: Jahnelle Ofori-Nkansah   

When most people take a vacation, they might head somewhere warm, grab a drink, and relax. But when Dr. Shannon McCory-Churchill, dean of the Patricia H. Garman School of Nursing, takes time off, she is probably halfway across the world, kayaking through the canals of Venice, running across frozen lakes in Mongolia, or climbing Mount Olympus in Greece. 

She does not fit the image most people have when they hear the word athlete. “Nothing about me screams runner,” she laughed during our interview. “I am not fast, I am not elite, but I am out there for the challenge, and sometimes the back of the pack is where the best stories are.” 

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Her journey into endurance and adventure racing was not something she had planned but something she took a chance on. What started as a way to stay active turned into a lifestyle that has taken her across continents and through some of the toughest environments imaginable. Upon a student recommending an adventure race to her it ultimately led to an opportunity to test race routes for a UK-based company, known as a “test pilot,” helping to determine what works and what does not before the races go public. 

That job has brought her to extraordinary places: trekking across three islands in Malta, running 100 miles over a frozen lake in Outer Mongolia, and kayaking through the Grand Canal of Venice as the sun set behind St. Mark’s Square. “It was absolutely amazing,” she recalled. “You spend the morning biking, the afternoon kayaking, and by the time you run into the square, the lights are coming on. It is surreal.” 

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For her, these challenges are more than physical. They are deeply personal. Growing up, she never saw herself as an athlete. She struggled with asthma in high school and often felt like the “non-runner” among runners. But her persistence and love for movement pushed her to try new things: first triathlons, then adventure racing, then test piloting global challenges. 

When asked what keeps her going during the hardest moments, her answer came easily: her daughter. “I got hysterical at the end of my first Chicago Marathon,” she admitted. “I could not believe I did it. I wanted to go home and tell my daughter, ‘Look what I did.’ I need her to see me doing things people would not expect of me, because that is how she will know she can do them too.” 

As a nurse and educator, she says the same mindset that helps her in her career, adaptability and quick problem-solving, translates perfectly into racing. “Nurses are made for this,” she said. “You are constantly triaging situations. What is the problem? What do I have to fix it? What is my next move? That is adventure racing in a nutshell.” 

Still, for all her global races and daring adventures, her message to anyone looking to start something new is simple: “Say yes to opportunity. Just show up. The hardest part is taking that first step, but once you do, the rest will follow.” 

Having the opportunity to interview Dr. McCrory Churchill was truly a blessing. She taught me valuable lessons about what real strength means. Strength is about being honest with yourself, pushing through challenges, and striving to become better every day. It’s about seeing the finish line and refusing to stop until you reach it. It’s also about accepting that you might fall sometimes but choosing to get back up and give it your all. 

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Dr. McCrory Churchill is an inspiration. Balancing her role as a mother while still finding time to decompress, travel, compete, and teach shows just how dedicated she is to her family, her students, and herself. She shared that she used to feel guilty about taking time for herself to go on trips and adventures, but she realized that those moments of self-care make her a better version of herself. They allow her to show up fully for her kids, her students, and everyone around her. 

As people, we can all learn something from Shannon, it’s okay to fail, it’s okay to put yourself first sometimes, and it’s okay to try new things. When you fall, don’t stay down every scratch and stumble just makes your skin tougher. Knowing your limits doesn’t make you weak; it shows self-awareness and strength.